Do you support the other members in your club? Are you giving them the help, guidance, and encouragement they need to grow as speakers? Do you find yourself connecting with your fellow members to grow strong together?
Fellow Toastmasters and Guests,
If you are not supporting others in your club, then what are you doing? If you are like many people in Toastmasters, then you joined because you thought it would help your public speaking skills. You then got up and gave some speeches, gave some evaluations, and filled in other roles as needed. After a year to eighteen months, you got your Competent Communicator and started to wonder, “now what?”
You are not alone. Many people I talk to in Toastmasters and other organizations feel the same way as you do. They reach a level in their development where their own desire to grow as a speaker and as a leader has gotten them to a point, but they are stuck. They believe that that have gotten as far as they want to go and there is no further to go.
Why is that? What makes people with unlimited potential think that they have no farther to go?
I believe that is because they lack support. Without the support of a team, a club, and an organization they can grow only as far as their imagination will take them. If they are like many of us, I included, they might think they have come to their limit.
Are you building a supporting environment for your club? Do you have a strong mentorship program?
Why not?
About the Author: My Toastmasters Blog is written and edited by Chris Elliott, a professional speaker and blogger. Chris serves as a leader for supply chain and international non-profit organizations. He enjoys uses his knowledge and experiences during his speaking engagements, workshops, consulting projects, and one-on-one coaching sessions. The result—connecting people and empowering change. If you would like information on how you can bring Chris to speak to your next meeting, please download Chris' one sheet or contact him by clicking here.
Hi Chris,
Good post.
I’ve always found mentoring to be tough, it always seems like there’s a shortage of mentors. One thing I did do when I was club president was I offered to meet with any members so I could help them learn to maximize their Toastmasters experience. The five or six people who did meet with me felt like the experience was helpful and ended up taking leadership roles the next year.
James